The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is “not over yet,” while “any moment could bring us new developments,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei in Jerusalem on Sunday.
“Who knows what tomorrow or the day after tomorrow will bring,” Netanyahu said in an address alongside Milei ahead of possible negotiations this week between the United States and Iran in Pakistan.
The Argentine president, who began his third visit in as many years to Israel with a stop at the Western Wall, will become the first foreign leader to light a torch at Israel’s main state Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem.
“It’s right and just that this happens now with Javier Milei,” Netanyahu said in brief remarks. “Under your leadership, Argentina has spoken with moral clarity, Mr. President. The free world should salute you.”
A Catholic who studied Bible with a rabbi whom he subsequently appointed ambassador to Jerusalem, Milei has broken with decades of foreign policy by positioning himself with the U.S. and Israel, emerging as one of the most vocal supporters of the Jewish state around the globe.
Milei has repeatedly pledged to move his embassy to Jerusalem, as early as this year, but stopped short of announcing a date for the move on Sunday.
“We are acting through shared values of democracy, civilization and freedom, and we have a joint responsibility to act together,” Milei said. “Just as the Abraham Accords were born out of a commitment to peace, we are united in the struggle against terrorism.”
Direct flights to Argentina
The two leaders announced the launch of direct flights on Israel’s flag carrier El Al, between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires, which will begin in November. The twice-weekly 16-hour flights will go on sale next month, El Al said.
“You have brought our people closer now; we are shortening the time to travel and making our people a lot stronger,” Netanyahu said.
The move, which was described as a “significant milestone” in relations between the two countries, was followed by the symbolic signing of the “Isaac Accords” to promote ties between Israel and Latin America, as well as a separate bilateral counter-terrorism and AI cooperation agreement.
“I don’t know any two world leaders on the planet that President Trump has more respect for than President Milei and Prime Minister Netanyahu … that stand with moral clarity that most world leaders are afraid to do,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said.
He highlighted the unprecedented military partnership that was forged between the U.S. and Israel during the “Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” war and, waxing biblical, said that sometimes swords have to precede plowshares.
